Does this man deserve a life in prison for murder, yes. But a life in solitary is beond my understanding. The only reason I cannot agree with hanging is, I could not do it myself and therefor would be unable to ask someone else to do something I would not do. It is one thing to kill someone while in a rage, but to calmly pull the handle that springs the trap door, not me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Pierrepoint
Interesting facts about a UK hangman.. sid